Bryony - Wigging Instructionsby Sharon Maggott

I chose an auburn viscose for her long hair; (Who am I kidding – it’s RED!)which compliments the colour of her dress. This is a fairly complicated style made easy with the method below.The following is a method of making doll wigs which I have using for quite a while now and which is successful for many styles. I am not saying that it is the only method of making wigs - just that it works for me!

1. Wind viscose onto several knitting needles. I used a 4.5mm, 2.75mm and 2mm. To get a nice, flat wind; grasp the very end of the viscose hank, where the fibres are nice and uneven (I hate it when suppliers cut the viscose hanks!). Then pull! You may have to do this several times, but you will end up with a small hank of fibres that lie flat and only require minimal combing and therefore less wastage. A wet knitting needle helps to hold the viscose as you begin to wind it around the needle. After the hair has been wound, wet the needles thoroughly (just hold under a tap) then dry in a low temp oven. Allow the curls to cool properly before sliding gently off the needle.

2. You also need a “twisted” curl. Make a small bunch of viscose as before. Now twist tightly and as you twist, wrap the twist around a needle as in the photo. Wet and dry as before.

3. Mark a natural hairline with a side parting as shown. Apply glue to half of the head – from the parting to the left ear as shown in the photo’s below. Allow the glue to set up slightly.4. Take the large curl (4.5mm) and gently press into the glue as shown – from the crown of the parting, to the front of the head and around behind the ear. Don’t worry that the hair is too “poufy” – it will be flattened as you work.

5. Repeat with the right side of the head as shown in the photo.

6. Gently smooth and ease and flatten the rolled curl into the glue as in the photos. My favourite tool here is a fine toothed comb with a fine metal spike as a handle. I also use a corsage pin, but NEVER use a toothpick. The wood grain will grab the fine viscose fibre and yank your perfect curl out of place!! The natural oils in your fingertips and the heat of your hands help as well; but be careful that you don’t over do it.

You can see here that the curl on the right side of the head points downwards, instead of joining with the left side of the head in the same direction.

Don’t worry about this bald spot!

Bald spot has been filled in by a snippet of the curl roll.

7. To create her braid you need the twisted curl – gently unwind and partially separate the fibres as shown. I actually only used the half on the right. Snip off the length you require.

8. Remember that downward pointing curl at the back? – Tuck the cut end of the twisted curl into this curl and secure with a drop of glue. Drape the braid over her shoulder and secure into position with a drop or two of glue.

9. Add a knot bun or a coil from the 2.75mm needle to the top of the head. Decorate with the smallest size curls as shown.

10. Take a few strands of left over hair from the largest curl roll and glue to the end of the parting to form a short fringe (or bangs) as shown.